Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses
by HieiNimbus3007
Summary: Kurama is gone leaving Hiei nothing but a bloodstained rose and a mind full of memories. But there is someone after the both of them. Someone who hates traitors. Someone who is good at fighting and is even better at mind games. The Hunter.
1. The Fire of Sunset

Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
An Original Yu Yu Hakusho Fanfic  
  
by HieiNimbus3007  
  
Disclaimer: I do not nor will ever own any rights to Yu Yu Hakusho or any characters/situations/storylines strictly featured in Yu Yu Hakusho.  
  
A small warning: In this fic Hiei and Kurama are ~lovers~. If this sort of thing really bothers you, I suggest you stop where you are. I expect no flames regarding this aspect of my story because you have been forewarned. This is not hentai.  
  
Thank you for your patience. :-)  
  
Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
Chapter I - The Fire Of Sunset  
  
The air above the city shimmered and two figures appeared on the roof of a high-rise. So dwarfed by their surroundings that they were not to be noticed by the tiny dots of people swarming around their ordinary lives down below. The difference in the figure's heights was almost comical, but pity the fool who dared to laugh. They seemed completely opposite.  
  
One was tall with a beautiful face and bright green eyes. His red hair flowed around him - nearly down to his waist. He wore a green suit that shone like his eyes and in his right hand he fingered a perfect rose.  
  
The other was dramatically short but you soon forgot his stature when you looked into his face, which spoke of infinite power. His mouth was set in a meaningful line that would just as soon insult you as look at you. His eyes were red and burned with a passionate fire; the flames within leaping with their own life. His black and white hair was spiked upward and actually added about a foot to his overall appearance. A couple strands of his mischievous bangs had fallen over his white bandanna and into his eyes. He wore all black and had his hands shoved deeply in his pockets.  
  
The red headed man turned to the other and spoke to him in a calm, cultured voice. "I think I'll be going away for awhile." The short man did not acknowledge that he heard and continued to stare out at the city. The tall man regarded him thoughtfully.  
  
"Did you hear me, Hiei?" Hiei nodded his head once, slowly, and closed his eyes.  
  
"I heard." He spoke as fast as he nodded, with cynical wisdom in his voice. "But I don't care. I'm not your mother. I can't control your actions." Icy cold. The tall man shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"I only thought I'd tell you. Better to let you know then disappear to nowhere. I knew I could count on you to tell Yusuke, Botan, Koenma..."  
  
"So you wanted me to be your messenger?" Hiei turned quickly to face the man and his eyes flashed. "Am I nothing more to you, Kurama, than a messenger?"  
  
"You're a friend."  
  
"Those aren't the same thing. I'm not a jack of all trades, kitsune, you must pick one."  
  
"You always must make things difficult, don't you?"  
  
"Actually, I'm the simple one. You're the one trying to complicate things. Piling roles on me, making me into anything you want me to be - messenger, killer, traitor, patriot, leader, follower, friend, lover . . . never mind." He turned and walked away towards the other side of the rooftop. Kurama remained where he was, but called after Hiei over his shoulder.  
  
"You will never forgive me. I know that. I know you, Hiei. I'm only asking you to understand." Hiei turned back to face Kurama, loathing on his face.  
  
"Understand what? That you feel you can lead me around and do what you like with me?"  
  
"Hiei-chan . . ."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"You're my best friend . . ."  
  
"Maybe at one time . . ."  
  
"I love you." Silence fell between them and the city pulsed on and drowned out their thoughts.  
  
"What do you know about love? What do you know except for what that slut of a human girl told you in the woods the day I first met you? Love was not made for creatures like you and me. I despise love. My mother loved me, for she loved my father, and yet she still stepped back and let them toss me from the city as the cursed, forbidden child. She killed herself for love of me, but I wanted a living mother to love me, not a dead one in an icy grave. I despise love because I can feel it gnawing at every bone in my body and I can't close my eyes without seeing Yukina, the sister I can't have. I can't close my eyes without seeing you. I think, in fact, I know I love you differently than you love me. Your love is obviously nothing like mine since you can lead me on and make life perfect for a couple of hours or a long weekend and then pretend like nothing happened, call me Hiei-chan, and speak of us being best friends. You want to give the kind of love I don't want to receive. I've lived my whole life without friends, I don't need any now."  
  
"I never told you . . ."  
  
"Don't!"  
  
"I want . . ."  
  
"I don't care!"  
  
"I love you like you want me to, but I'm not right for you!"  
  
"What!?"  
  
"You need more than love! You need someone as solid and steadfast as you are to be happy! I can't make you happy!"  
  
"Yes, you . . ."  
  
"No, Hiei, I can't, and despite my wisdom I can't even understand you. You're like a puzzle with a piece missing. Unsolveable."  
  
"But what about love?"  
  
"You said you despised it."  
  
"I lied."  
  
"You don't lie."  
  
"All criminals lie."  
  
"You're reformed."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kurama looked into Hiei's eyes from his position about 20 feet away.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then you understand me better than you think you do, but I don't really despise love. Not the love I feel for you, because it's different from the other kind that I feel. The kind of love I have for the sister that doesn't know we're related and the love I long for from the mother I never knew. Untouchable love. My love for you is very touchable because you're always there at my side, and it will kill me eventually."  
  
"Don't talk like that."  
  
"I can't help it. It's who I am."  
  
"I'm going now."  
  
"Go. I won't stop you." Hiei turned away from him again and watched as the sun made its slow descent. At that last moment of day - when the sun was just a sliver and the whole world blazed with that last moment of extreme golden fire - Hiei turned back around. There was nothing left of Kurama except a solitary bloodstained rose. Hiei fought back tears as he gently picked up the flower. He kissed its satin petals softly with trembling lips and let the dam break. The last moment of sunlight saw Hiei clutching a rose to his chest as he sobbed loudly and sank to his knees on the hard concrete of the roof of a high rise. From a building a block or so away, Kurama stood watching through the fresh tears that stung his own eyes.  
  
He whispered ever so softly, "I'll come back."  
  
On his own rooftop with his back towards his lover, Hiei smiled a little and whispered back, "I'll wait."  
  
Hiei sat on the side of the roof with his feet dangling over the edge for a long time, just looking at the rose he held in his hand. "Is this my fate?" He asked himself as he twirled the stem between his fingers. "a fate so beautiful and simple, yet so horrible that it can be summed up with a single bloody rose?" He sighed. "Okay." He closed his eyes and when he opened them he was back in the spirit world.  
  
Next:  
  
Chapter 2 - Vigilante  
  
In which Hiei learns of a demon bounty hunter who only likes to kill and has a passionate hatred for traitors. Two traitors, in particular, he intends to introduce to the blade of his sword very soon. Hiei visits Koenma and learns this information too late. Too late to stop Kurama from walking away, possibly right into a trap. 


	2. Vigilante

Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
An Original Fanfic  
  
By HieiNimbus3007 ( a.k.a. NimbusXtreme3007)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not nor will ever own any rights to Yu Yu Hakusho. I do not own any characters/situations/plots/storylines that are strictly Yu Yu Hakusho.  
  
Warning: In this fic, Hiei and Kurama are ~lovers~. If this sort of thing bothers you, then I suggest you hit the back button on your browser now. I do not expect any flames regarding this aspect of my story because I warned you beforehand.  
  
Thank you for your patience! :-)  
  
Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
Chapter II - Vigilante  
  
He closed his eyes and when he opened them he was back in the spirit world. He had appeared suddenly in Koenma's office, making both the tiny leader and his assistant, Ogre, jump.  
  
"Hiei! You should have knocked! I could have been indecent!"  
  
"Hopefully not in the same room as Ogre," Hiei scoffed.  
  
"Of coarse not!" Koenma looked furious.  
  
"Well?" Koenma's eyes narrowed for a moment, but all other emotion was soon replaced by pure confusion. He stared into space for a second or so, trying to interpret what had just happened, then violently shook his head and came out of his daze.  
  
"Why are you here? We are very busy right now, so whatever it is it will have to wait until later."  
  
"I've only come to tell you that Kurama is gone." Koenma's eyes bulged and he made a dramatic gesture for Ogre to leave. He stood up, shrugged, and left, shutting the door firmly behind him.  
  
"What are you talking about?!"  
  
"Kurama is gone."  
  
"Gone where?!?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What do you MEAN you don't know!? You're supposed to be his friend! He just walked off and didn't say where he was going?!"  
  
"That's pretty much it. Yeah." Koenma jumped on top of his desk and began to pace furiously.  
  
"He can't be gone now! Not in this time of crisis!"  
  
Hiei raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "Crisis?"  
  
"Yes! Both you and Kurama are in serious danger!" He quickened his pacing.  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"We need to find Kurama . . ."  
  
"Tell me what we're in danger of."  
  
". . . or else we can't protect him . . ."  
  
"Koenma!"  
  
". . .from. . ."  
  
Hiei rushed forward and seized Koenma's shoulders. He shook him roughly. "Tell me, you bastard! Who are we in danger of ?!?" There was silence, and eventually Hiei released Koenma, who backed away from him with the same expression on his face that he would have had if he had just been bitten by something rabid. He rubbed his sore shoulders.  
  
"There's no need for bad language."  
  
"Let's see how well you rule with my sword up your ass." Hiei's eyes burned dangerously.  
  
"Okay, okay. Cuss all you want."  
  
"Just tell me."  
  
"Fine. I will tell you. Sit down, please."  
  
"I prefer to stand."  
  
"Okay! Here goes. There is a demon in the form of a man - but we don't know what he looks like. We've never seen him. He calls himself the Hunter. He hunts. . ."  
  
"No shit."  
  
"Don't interrupt if you want to hear the whole thing. Well, this Hunter is something of a vigilante, taking the law into his own hands. He's devoted his whole life to tracking down and slaughtering those who have done wrong and yet have gone unpunished. Let's just say that he isn't fond of traitors. We have been informed by the gentleman himself via messenger that he is giving you and Kurama three days before he begins the hunt."  
  
"Right - so I have a mark on my head. When were you planning on telling me, at my funeral?"  
  
"I was getting around to it!"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem. Hee hee hee . . ." Koenma laughed nervously.  
  
"So we should probably tell Kurama."  
  
"It's essential!"  
  
"We'd have to locate him, then."  
  
"I'll leave that up to you."  
  
"What?"  
  
I believe you can find him. You have your methods." Hiei growled at him. "It's true! No sense in denying what we all know you posses!" Hiei turned from his and took a couple steps into the room.  
  
He looked over his shoulder, "I'll go now. To put my assets to work." Koenma shivered from the sarcasm. "Kurama can't be on the defense if he doesn't know there is to be an attack," and with that, he was gone.  
  
He reappeared on a hill, silent as the night and ruffled by the wind. He kept his eyes shut and breathed in deeply. This was the hill - where he first let Kurama know that he liked him for more than a friend and a partner in crime. This was the hill where Kurama told Hiei he felt the same . . .  
  
~*~*~*~ flashback ~*~*~*~  
  
Kurama lay on his back, looking at the stars. Hiei lay on his side, looking at Kurama. Kurama noticed and glanced at him. He smiled.  
  
"The starts are beautiful tonight."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Liar! You aren't even looking at them."  
  
"They are beautiful every night. I've seen them before."  
  
"You've seen me before, too." Hiei blushed, but it wasn't apparent in the darkness. The only things you could really see besides the stars was a pair of bright red eyes and the pair of green ones that were burning into them. "You've been watching me a lot, Hiei. You've also been acting different around me, like you're walking on eggshells."  
  
"I haven't noticed."  
  
"Is anything the matter?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is something bothering you?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Is there anything . . ."  
  
"Why all the questions?"  
  
"Just wasting time. Letting you prepare yourself to ask me the question you've been dying to ask me. The question you asked me up here to answer."  
  
"I don't have a question."  
  
"Yes you do. It's in every movement of your body. Every inhale and exhale. It's even in your eyes." Hiei sighed impatiently and rolled onto his back.  
  
"You don't know what your talking about. You've finally lost it, kitsune."  
  
"Well, if you aren't going to ask me I suppose I'll have to go ahead and answer. In one swift motion, Kurama was up and on Hiei, straddling him and pinning his arms down.  
  
"What the . . ."  
  
"The answer is yes." Hiei smirked a little.  
  
"What if you just made a fatal mistake? What if I was only going to ask you if you wanted to get a pizza, and I was nervous because I know you don't like pizza. If that was the case then the moment you let go of my arms I'm going to castrate you for sitting on me."  
  
"I know you better than that. Besides, you don't like pizza, either." Kurama let go of Hiei's arm and Hiei made no movement to push him off or reach for his sword.  
  
"At least I'm up to try new things."  
  
"So am I," and with that Kurama leaned down and placed his lips gently upon Hiei's. Hiei's eyes widened in surprise but his hands eventually found their way to the back of Kurama's head and forced him deeper into the kiss. He was met with no resistance . . .  
  
~*~*~*~ present ~*~*~*~  
  
Tears streamed down Hiei's face. He held the rose now - the one Kurama had left behind. The stars seemed to cry too. They seemed blurry despite his clouded eyes. Hiei looked to the ground and scraped a shallow grave with the toe of his boot. He dropped the rose inside and covered it. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He felt a new feeling now, a feeling that had long been buried underneath love, passion, and angst. Anger. He pulled his sword from its sheath and watched the moonlight tremble along its razor edge. His eyes burned like hot coals. "He'll not have my kitsune." He resheathed his sword and fell to his knees alongside the grave.  
  
  
  
The next chapter is . . . Chapter III - Pain In The Omen In which the Hunter calls to Hiei, who then witnesses the spilling of a loved one's blood in the ultimate nightmare. Botan makes a brief appearance and bears her heart, only to figure things out for herself. Hiei gets himself together long enough to figure out that he might be too late if he doesn't act fast . . . 


	3. Pain In The Omen

Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
Chapter III - Pain In The Omen  
  
By HieiNimbus3007 (AKA NimbusXtreme3007)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.  
  
Warning!: In this fic, Kurama and Hiei are lovers. If this bothers you, please do not read this. I have had reviews for this fic and others I've written complaining that I made Kurama homosexual, despite the warnings I always post before each chapter. This is unfair to me, so please don't complain about this aspect of my story because it was your choice to read it. I don't care if you completely rip my story to shreds because you hate it so much, but don't bring up the fact that "Kurama is NOT GAY!" ***Thank you for all the nice reviews, though! :-)***  
  
Now where was I?......Oh, yes.......  
  
Another small note: I tried to make Hiei less chatty...but yes he cries *again* in this chapter. Maybe its a bit OOC, but think about it: this is the only person he ever really loved who equally loved him back, and he might get killed....  
  
Okay, sorry. Thanks for you patience! ")  
  
Chapter III - Pain In The Omen  
  
The fog was so dense, and it was *everywhere*. Hiei spun around and was met on all sides by this indestructible foe. The solid wall of swirling milky whiteness loomed above him and stretched into the distance. A wave of uncharacteristic claustrophobia shuddered through him, but quickly passed as he made a feeble attempt to break through the prison. He couldn't see his hand out before him, and he couldn't see his feet below him, but these facts didn't bother him as much as the nagging idea that the fog was truly a living membrane that encased him and was slowly compressing and was destined to crush him.  
  
The silence was unbearable. That strange feeling you experience when nothing makes a sound, and the quiet seems to burrow itself into your brain, to remain there eternally. Hiei was on the brink of screaming to the sky he knew must be there somewhere just to hear a voice when he heard something else. A light rustling sound gave away the presence of another being off to Hiei's right. He slowly turned his head in that direction and squinted his eyes at nothing. He slowly drew his sword, trying to mask the sound of the cold steel sliding along the sheath. Still, he saw nothing.  
  
Then a voice, so distant he could hardy hear it despite his efforts, yet so close he felt icy breath upon his neck. "Too late......." He whirled around, and there was no one there.  
  
"Who said that? Speak now or die!"  
  
The voice chuckled, or did something that remotely resembled the dull, dry cough of an elderly man who has perhaps smoked one too many cigars in his lifetime. Or perhaps it was more like the pitiful sound of a car that has been driven to its breaking point and just refuses to go on any longer. "You're too late." It was somewhere above him now, but all Hiei could see was the whirling torrent of white upon white.  
  
"Show yourself!"  
  
"I don't think so. Not yet. I want to play a little first....." Something appeared from the fog - a dim outline of a figure staggering toward him. Hiei lifted his sword, preparing to attack, but as the figure neared, the colors came into focus and the details came into view. He recognized Kurama, and he tossed his sword to the ground and ran to him. He grabbed Kurama's arm, but as he did so a brisk wind swirled around him, and he shut his eyes against it. when he opened them again, Kurama was gone.  
  
He was no longer in the heaven-white hell, but in a lush forest. So lush, in fact, that the presence of magic was unmistakable. The light that filtered through the thick, translucent canopy of leaves above cast an emerald green glow upon everything below. Hiei sniffed the air and recognized the scent of roses. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes again he was back, and clutching the arm of his lover.  
  
"Kurama! Are you okay?" The words went unheeded, but a moment later, Kurama's knees buckled and he fell. This took Hiei so off guard that when he noticed what was happening and tried to catch him, the sudden weight threw him off balance as well and they both fell to the cold ground. Kurama remained where he fell, upon his side, but Hiei scrambled to his knees and clutched at Kurama. "Kurama! Kurama! Answer me!" He shook him roughly, but Kurama's eyes remained shut tightly. "KURAMA!" Hiei noticed then the thick trickle of red running from underneath the kitsune and staining the man's white shirt. He quickly rolled him over onto his back and found a deep slash, perfect in its precision, that ran the length of Kurama's torso. Hiei's breath came shallow and his vision dulled as he frantically ripped his own shirt off and tore it to bits to press against the wound. It didn't help at all, and a cold feeling of doom encased Hiei's heart and chilled his blood.  
  
"Awful, isn't it?" The voice asked. This time it came from everywhere. embodied not only in the fog, but also within Hiei's mind. "Not being able to do anything at all to save him. I know what you're thinking, and he's not dead yet. Just unconscious. But if he doesn't remember how to breath very soon, I suspect his time in the Living world is limited." Hiei's pain was trapped in his throat and as he stared at his dying love it screamed to be released in one treacherous flood but he couldn't allow that. Not yet. Not here.  
  
"I know you." The voice was cruel and sarcastic. "You're the one with the eye and the human friends and the attractive icy sister."  
  
"I will gut you alive before you lay a hand on my sister. She's done nothing to you"  
  
"You will gut me alive just like you did before I killed your boyfriend, huh?"  
  
"Kurama didn't do anything to you either. And neither did I."  
  
"On the contrary, you have." At that point the fog *did* swirl closer and encase Hiei. It worked its way down his throat and filled his lungs and he fought but it did no good. Too terrified to scream and too anguished to cry, he gripped Kurama's body tightly against his own and felt his soul be carried away.  
  
But then, wait, was that someone calling his name? He could hear it plainly through the peaceful emptiness he was positive had been death. "Hiei! Hiei!" He tried to move, to call out in response, to yell for someone to bring him away from this absolute nothing, but to no avail. Suddenly, he remembered the mysterious assassin who had just taken his life and was filled with fear for the life of the one seeking him.  
  
Through the death that surrounded him, he actually managed to speak. "Goway..." he sluggishly yelled. "Heelkeelyootoo!"  
  
"Hiei, come on!"  
  
"Donewooryboutme! Go! Heelkeelyoo!"  
  
"No one's going to kill me, Hiei! Now wake up, Goddammit!" Hiei was shoved into wakefulness by a swift kick in the ribs. He looked up to see a very pissed Botan glaring at him.  
  
"What the hell..." He rubbed his sore ribs.  
  
"How dare you!? How dare you fall asleep out here in the open when you know some crazy guy is out to kill you? You were like a roasted pig on a silver platter! And why are you crying!"  
  
Hiei hadn't noticed the tears streaming from his eyes before and hastily wiped them away with the back of his hand. "I wasn't."  
  
"Mmmhmmm," muttered a totally unconvinced Botan.  
  
"Besides," Hiei began. "I'm more aware in my sleep then Kuwabara is awake." Botan sighed.  
  
"That may be true, but you shouldn't leave yourself so vulnerable." Hiei growled at her, proving once and for all that he was anything *but* vulnerable. "Okay, okay. But what possessed you to fall asleep out here anyway?"  
  
Hiei looked around and for the first time realized that he had fallen asleep on his hill. Apparently he had drifted off where he had fallen the night before. "I don't know. It just happened."  
  
"You were *supposed* to be looking for Kurama." Hiei stood up and brushed the grass off of his clothing and began walking down the hill. "Where are you *going!*"  
  
"To look for KURAMA." He kept going, so she ran down the hill after him and joined him at his side.  
  
"Do you know where he is?"  
  
"Yes." Her eyes lit up with excitement.  
  
"REALLY?! Where?"  
  
"In a forest."  
  
"What forest?"  
  
"A *forest*. I don't know." She stopped in her tracks and watched him walk a few paces with her moth hanging open before she jogged after him again.  
  
"Just 'a forest'? That's all you know? Just that he's in a forest?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"There are hundreds, maybe even *thousands* of forests around these parts. You can't search them all."  
  
"*I* can." They walked on for awhile, Hiei seeking Kurama everywhere possible with his jagon and Botan cluelessly calling Kurama's name. A couple hours or so had passed, and they had searched all around the general area when Hiei turned to Botan and told her that he would rather search alone. "You slow me down. I could have been halfway done by now if I hadn't been so courteous as to allow you to accompany me."  
  
Botan ignored the subtle insult, because she knew she agreed. "Okay, but be careful Hiei. I don't want you to get hurt." Before Hiei could act or even take a breath she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to her. She pushed her eager lips against his not-so-eager ones so forcefully that Hiei cried out in shock, and possibly pain. When she finally released him, he staggered back and bumped into a very large tree. He stood there panting and staring at Botan with a very disgusted look on his face.  
  
"What's the matter, Hiei?"  
  
"Nothing. You just tried to eat me, is all."  
  
"You mean.....you didn't feel anything there?"  
  
"Only the fear of suffocation." Botan glared at him.  
  
"How dare you crack jokes! You're so thoughtless and cruel! You aren't capable of loving *anyone* are you?" Hiei ignored the question and walked away. He spoke to her as he left without turning his head to look back.  
  
"I'm going to find him now. Every day that I don't know where he is, a little more certain I am that the Hunter has gotten there first." And with that he was gone. Botan sighed and say down on a tree stump thinking to herself.  
  
She whispered to no body, "Hiei and.........Kurama?"  
  
The cool air felt good on the bare skin of his chest and back and he let his red hair fly free to play in the breeze. He walked quietly and barefoot through the underbrush that teemed with plant life. He smiled, but he felt too many emotions coursing through his body to be truly content. He was happy to be home, but his heart ached for Hiei and he was uneasy to be done with the final task he needed to complete before he knew that he could be with Hiei forever.  
  
There was a small spark behind a tree and a man appeared dressed all in rich blue silk. His long silver hair glimmered and he smiled a cruel smile to himself and vanished again with another spark.  
  
To the kitsune, he went unnoticed.  
Up next..... Chapter IV - Guardian, Rose Savior, Rise And Do My Bidding  
  
In which Kurama reaches a secret location in the forest known only to him and to his Rose Savior that he had created so many years ago for a situation such as this. We find out exactly why Kurama left Hiei and what he intends to do now. Hiei locates the forest, only to find out that the Hunter has 


	4. Rise, Hogosha!

Petals Fallen, Blood On Roses  
  
By HieiNimbus3007 (AKA NimbusXtreme3007)  
  
Disclaimer-I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or the characters or anything to do with the show. I  
*would* like to say, though, that I owe quite a bit in this chapter to the many Japanese-English  
English-Japanese dictionaries on the web. :-)  
  
WARNING-This story contains yaoi material. Hiei and Kurama are lovers. There is not much  
*mention* and there is no description of physical contact (hence the rating) but it is still there. If  
this bothers you, DO NOT READ THIS FIC. I do not expect any flames for making either Hiei  
or Kurama homosexual. Why? Because if you flame me for this, people will wonder if your  
eyesight is failing because it clearly says WARNING in all capital letters. So, again, WARNING  
and thank you for your patience while I ranted.  
  
Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
Chapter IV - "Rise, Hogasha!"  
  
The air was saturated with green light and it pulsed from the thick ferns on the ground  
and from the large bunches of foliage hanging from the trees. Kurama picked his way, barefoot,  
through the underbrush and even deeper into the forest. Every traveler who came to this forest  
knew the magic there at once, even if they couldn't recognize it, for this was the Youdai. The  
Fairyland. The fairies had been gone from this haven for millennia, but magic did not necessarily  
need a manifestation to live on forever. Kurama was also partly to blame for that. The magic here  
might not have been quite so powerful if Kurama hadn't discovered this place and made it his  
home.  
  
The plants here were eternal, because that is how Kurama willed them to be. Roses grew  
from between thick, gnarled roots and large vines wound their way around each trunk. Roses  
with coronas as large as the palm of your hand, and some even larger. These were Kurama's  
children. Many animals lived here, but none disturbed its peace. As Kurama walked, a squirrel  
watched him curiously from above.  
  
He was like this all day, walking in circles and smelling the sweet perfumed air of this  
place that had once been his domain, and still was in more ways than one. The sun began to get  
low, and soon the nocturnal animals began to stir in their nests and burrows and dens. When the  
sun was completely and utterly gone, Kurama made his way from his position near the outer rim  
of the kingdom towards the center. The exact center, to be precise. He reached it soon enough.  
He could have done it with his eyes shut, the many times he had been to this place. Standing tall  
in the middle of the Youdai was a tree. It was, by far, the tallest tree in the whole forest. It's  
branches spread out like arms over its smaller companions like it was protecting them. It spread  
out its branched like it was their guardian. Kurama slipped closer, and placed his hand upon the  
rough, crumbling bark. He felt heat radiating from within, and as he drew his hand away, he saw  
where it had left a print made of white light. He walked around the tree, and around again. It was  
awhile before he found what he was searching for. A dark handprint scorched into the trunk of  
the tree was located just above his head. He took a deep breath and placed his hand into it.  
  
He shut his eyes. The breeze quickened and licked at his clothing and hair. He slid his  
hand deeper within the tree. "Rise, Hogosha." He whispered. Nothing happened. "Rise,  
Hogosha." He whispered again. Still, all was quiet. "RISE, HOGOSHA! RISE AND DO MY  
BIDDING!" Brilliant, blinding light poured between his fingers from inside the tree. The hole  
widened, and widened. Kurama raised his arms to shield his eyes from the light and was drawn  
within the tree.   
  
A shout and a bright flash of light caught his attention and drew his gaze. This was  
interesting. He had followed this demon-trash all day and had been bored out of his mind  
watching him sniff at his little flowers and dance through the trees. Now, this demon seemed to  
have done something wrong, and the tree had sucked him up! The light dimmed, and he drew  
nearer to have a look around. He saw the hand-print, which still glowed white, and stuck his own  
hand into it. He pulled back with a yelp. The skin on his palm was scorched and he could hear his  
flesh sizzle. He shuffled away from the offensive tree and took a seat upon a nearby boulder.  
'Well,' he thought. 'He obviously ment to go wherever he went. Now all I have to do is wait for  
him to come back.' And with that he brushed a few strands of silver hair out of his eyes, and  
waited.  
  
"What was that?" He asked himself. Somewhere, far, far off in the distance, there had  
been a huge flash of light. 'Hmm..' he thought. 'Probably nothing,' and he continued to look for  
Kurama where he was.  
  
Botan sat on the hill all day. The hill she had found Hiei on. She could sense that this hill  
was special to him in some way, so for whatever the reason, it was special to her as well. It  
wasn't until after to sun started to go down and she stood to leave that she saw that grave. She  
wasn't sure what it was. It could have been some kid's pet hamster, for all she knew. But that  
didn't matter. What was buried within the grave didn't matter. Her attention was held by the dirt  
that *covered* the grave. It was moving.  
  
Inside the tree, the darkness was enough to kill Kurama after so much light, and it took  
his eyes a few more moments than natural to adjust. He saw before him a door in the floor with a  
large gold handle. This he grabbed and pulled up towards himself. When the door was fully open,  
he lowered himself cautiously and landed, catlike, on the floor several feet below. It was even  
darker here. To his right was a stone staircase that led into the murky depths, and to his right  
there was a torch set in a bracket on the earthen wall. The torch was not lit, and he had no  
matches on his person, so he left it where it was and started down the stairs.  
  
Dirt from the walls crumbled over his fingers as he made his way down. It wasn't a long  
journey and soon he saw a green glow flooding over the treads below him. He followed it and  
soon found himself in a cavernous room. In the center of the room was something resembling a  
stone well. Above the well, there was a swirling mass of green iridescence. Kurama smiled.  
"Hogosha." He whispered. The green swirled even faster, and began to take form. Kurama  
walked towards the well and stood staring. The light had transformed itself into a girl. She was a  
very pretty girl with long green hair and robes of the deepest red you might ever see. Her eyes  
were also red. She yawned, stretching her long arms above her head. Her mouth opened to reveal  
two rows of fanged teeth that might have been intimidating if she hadn't been a creature of  
Kurama's creation. She floated above the well and glared flirtatiously at Kurama below her.  
  
"Why did you wake me up? I was dreaming!"  
  
"What were you dreaming about?" All of a sudden, she was at his side and he jumped.  
  
"You. And I've been having the same dream every night since you locked me in here."  
She kissed him quickly on the cheek and smiled. "But I'm glad you're back."  
  
"I'm not back for long. This isn't just a visit, tonight. I've come here to have you  
complete the task I made you to do." Hogosha's eyes brightened.  
  
"So, you've found her! You've found the girl you want to spend the rest of your life  
with?"   
  
"Err...Something like that."  
  
"I see."  
  
There was silence. Kurama remembered the day he had decided to create Hogosha. Even  
creatures like demons felt love and longing and no creature, demon or mortal or god, had ever  
felt them as powerful as he had. But there had been a time, so many years ago, that he had felt he  
would never find the right one and truly fall in love. He had created Hogosha from a piece of his  
own soul. The part of his soul that would tell him, truthfully, if he was really in love and if that  
person loved him back. He concentrated most of this energy into two long-stemmed red roses.  
One that he would give one day to the person he loved. The other he would keep safely guarded  
in the only really safe place he knew. With the remaining energy he had created Hogosha, the  
Guardian, to take care of this rose and keep it out of harms way.  
  
"Are you ready, then?" Hogosha's bright eyes shone with happiness.  
  
"You know what will happen, don't you?"  
  
"Of coarse! It is all I know. You will touch your rose for the first time since its creation. If  
you really don't love them, nothing will happen. But if you do love them, the rose that is being  
held by your lover will react. It will multiply and spread all around that person. When that person  
touches the petals of one of these new roses, one of two things will happen. If your love is not  
returned, then the petals will turn to glass and shatter. But if the love between the both of you is  
pure and undying, then the roses will burst into flame and burn for all eternity. You will regain  
the bit of your soul I have been borrowing, and I will be gone forever." She smiled at him with  
her sharp teeth.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Of coarse, Kurama. we are all born to die, after all. At least I have served a purpose all  
these years. I slept most of the time, and I was never disturbed by anyone but a rabbit or two, but  
it was nice."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay! Are you ready to do this?" He returned her smile.  
  
"Let's get it over with."  
  
They walked together to the well, and Hogosha stuck her head over the side and yelled,  
"SHOUBI!" A beautiful rose floated upon a cloud of green mist from the well and hovered just  
above her fingertips. "Here. Take it."  
  
"Goodbye, Hogosha."  
  
"I love you, Kurama. Goodbye." Kurama took a deep breath and firmly grasped the stem  
of the rose.  
  
The ground began to shake violently, and Botan was thrown to her feet, but she didn't  
take her eyes off the grave. She couldn't, because whatever was inside was coming *out*. She  
stared wide-eyed (a/n: O_O) as a thick green vine poked its way out of the dirt. It came quicker  
now, slithering like a large snake out or its hole. It began to wrap and twist around itself, and she  
had to scoot back on her bottom quickly to avoid being encased in it. Huge buds began to form,  
and as soon as they did, beautiful roses blossomed. There was now a large mass of tangled vine  
bearing china-plate sized flowers laying (quite still) at her feet. She stood and approached it  
cautiously. The smell was heavenly. She bent down and with one long-nailed finger, caressed a  
velvet-smooth petal.  
  
The light in the room turned blue and cold and swirled around them. Kurama gasped. The  
rose in his hand turned ice cold.  
  
The rose she had touched began to change, and all of a sudden all of the roses on the vine  
had turned a chilly blue. A moment later they shattered with an ear-splitting crash and lay on the  
ground in a thousand uncountable pieces.   
  
The blue light retreated and the rose grew dull. Kurama stared at it, willing it to move or  
glow or burn or something, but nothing happened. He saw that on his right, Hogosha still stood.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kurama." Kurama dropped the rose on the floor and it thudded and rolled a  
little in the dirt like any other ordinary rose. "I really am-" Kurama turned and fled, running  
blindly from the room and up the dark stairs he stopped when he reached the top and he slammed  
against the tree where he had entered. He beat upon the solid wall and raked his fingernails upon  
it and tried to speak through the tears that choked his throat.   
  
"HOGO..HOGOSHA! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT...*PLEASE!*" The wall opened in  
front of him and he fell though and hit the mossy earth outside. He lay there and sobbed into his  
arm. He thought he hear footsteps and then he thought he heard a voice.  
  
"What did you expect? Did you really think that demon-trash traitor would love you? The  
only things he loves are himself and the spilling of his brother's blood. Go ahead and cry,  
weakling. But you didn't love him, either. Not really. He was only an amusement. He deserves to  
die, doesn't he?" Kurama felt himself nod his head as the hypnotic voice that seemed to come  
from everywhere at once continued to speak. " I think you should kill him. He's used you long  
enough. The only reason he isn't dead right now is because of you, and you can undo that, can't  
you?" Kurama nodded again. "Good. I'll leave you now. But I promise, in the morning, you will  
feel much better, and maybe even a little bloodthirsty, who knows?" And then the voice was  
silent. Kurama heard no more sounds, and was convinced that he had been talking to himself all  
along.  
  
The end of Chapter IV!  
  
Next chapter is Chapter V, as of yet un-named  
In which Hiei *still* doesn't find Kurama, but Kurama finds Hiei. And where do you think this  
happens to occur? Where everything else occurs. On the hill! I should probably rename this story  
"Yu Yu Hakusho People on a Hill" In which Hiei and Kurama make-out there, Botan breaks  
something *very important* there, and a very important, um, "fight to the finish" takes place  
there. I mean it's only a hill. Why am I going so berserk? Why am I talking to myself? AAAA!  
Okay. I'm over that. I'm just a little high-strung lately since they started airing YYH on Toonami  
and in the next episode Hiei and Kurama make their first appearances! Yay! Can't wait 4 episode  
6.  
  
Okay. This chapter is kaput! Bye bye! ^_^ 


	5. Crimson

~~~~~~Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses ~~~~~~By HieiNimbus3007, also known as NimbusXtreme3007  
  
~~~~~~Chapter V - Crimson  
  
Disclaimer - I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, nor will I ever. I *do* own Houkama the hunter, though, and I am very possessive! ^_^ *sigh...evil bishonen! heehee!  
  
WARNING! Okay. By now anyone who is reading this should know that this is yaoi/shonen-ai/slash. But just in case you have been on some distant planet or some other shit and don't get it yet...here is a message for you. Shonen- ai means love between two boys. Okay? If you find this offensive in any way, leave now please and forever hold your peace. I feel strongly about being criticized for free speech. Also a word to the rest of you - this chapter *does* contain a bit more 'contact' between two male characters than the other chapters. Not to such an extent that I would have to change the rating..but it is here. Fair warning. I will post a full-blown rated R lemon eventually...but I am still working this thing out, and I am not thinking about that part much yet. When I do post it...it will be as an epilogue so as to not affect the flow of the story or the outcome..so people who do not want to read a yaoi lemon can avoid it and not miss a chunk of the story itself.  
  
Also..a more serious warning to everyone. This chapter contains CHARACTER DEATH. Now, by saying character death, I don't necessarily mean *permanent* character death...oh shit..I just gave away half my plot! *sigh* So don't get mad! Just wait! Cheers! - Nimbus^_^  
  
This whole first part is inside Kurama's mind. When Houkama speaks, I will indicate with []. I will indicate Kurama's dialogue with **. I will have a bar of ~~~ to show when they are no longer inside his mind, and I also use the ~~~ to indicate in a change of scene.  
  
~~~~~~Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses  
  
~~~~~~Chapter V - Crimson  
  
*That man...who is he? Do I know him? Maybe he is a friend of Hiei's. They actually look rather similar. They have the same eyes. But...there is something different about this man's eyes. They look...wrong.* Fire red, blazing behind a fine brush of blond lashes, set in a beautiful face. His hair, a sparlinig, deep brown, flowed over his shoulders and down past his knees. His spiky bangs which hung before his face shone red from the light that spilled from his eyes. He regarded Kurama thoughtfully, a slight smile on his face. [You do not know me] *Have I seen you before? Who are you?* [Why ask me questions? Questions are for the curious. You are not curious, you are just in a hurry to be rid of me so you may dream more of your forbidden lover] *Your voice...you came to me last night!* [Yes.] He nodded his head once, not removing his eyes from Kurama. Kurama felt his anger at Hiei boil up, but also anger at this man. *Who are you to tell me how I feel about Hiei? You know nothing about me! You know nothing about my relationship with Hiei, and it is none of your business!* [Sorry to inform you, but currently you *are* my business. The both of you. I have been..observing..the both of you for quite some time, and I just felt that it was time I intervened. You can do much better than Hiei, really. You are such a powerful man. You could have anyone. Man, woman, human...animal.] *Are you some sort of sick..* [I just care for you, is all.] *I don't believe *that*!* [Why not?] *Well, you...you don't know me.* [Your name is Kurama, a silver fox youko who was mortally wounded one day. In order to save yourself you transformed yourself into a child within the womb of a human women. You were born and grew up with these people and took the name of Suiichi. You had planned to take your leave of those humans, but you could never bring yourself to do it. You met Hiei later, and had been having more than friendly relations with him since way before either of you met the great Yusuke Urameshi.] *So you do know me, but what does it prove?* With swiftness that might have startled anyone but Kurama, being used to Hiei's unnatural speed, the man appeared at his side. Kurama looked deep within those red eyes, now only inches from his own, searching for some sigh of life, and found only fire. [It proves that I care more for you than that fire demon.] *What of his being a fire demon? What are you, might I ask? You certainly have the eyes of a fire demon.* Kurama fought with all his power not to fall into those eyes. [What I am is really simple. I am a Hunter. The Hunter, actually, since the rest of my race were killed by humans years ago.] *Hunter?* The man raised his hand and extended a graceful index finger, which came to a point with a long claw. He brushed it gently against Kurama's jaw, drawing a thin line of blood. Kurama winced and tried to move from him, but his limbs seemed to be frozen where they stood. The man stepped closer, and there really was no space between them at all to speak of. [My name is Houkama. And I have great uses for you.] Kurama was about to question that last statement when Houkama suddenly leaned forward and parted his lips. His tongue, blue, reptilian, and forked, darted from his mouth and caught the thin stream of blood running from the wound he had inflicted. He brought both of his hands to the back of Kurama's head. Kurama was literally frozen in place by some supernatural paralysis. [Yes. I do have some mild poison attributes that infect those I cut. But do not worry. They will wear off soon enough. But, since you seem a bit disturbed by all of this, I will do you a favor. You may wake up now.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kurama stirred upon the ground and woke suddenly, panting. A quick glance around him told him that he was in some forest. Memories of the night before returned to him like a slap in the face as he remembered the outcome of the ordeal of his rose. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. But he had no time to ponder this pain, for he heard approaching footsteps to his left. He turned quickly, and saw the same man. His blue robes flowing around him like the wind, and his hair as immaculate as ever. "Houkama?" "Yes?" Kurama saw that Houkama's lips were stained red with blood. *His* blood. "So, that wasn't a dream?" "Not *really*. Parts of it, maybe. I don't know. You tell me." He smirked at Kurama. A smirk that Kurama had come to know and adore upon another face. "Well, I can move, so you really didn't poison me." "Think about it, Kurama. why would I want to paralyze you? True hunters take no pleasure in hunting prey that do not run from him in fear." "So you are here to kill me?" "No. Nothing of the sort." "I wish you would stop being vague! One minute it seems like you are going to hate me and other times it seems like you are in love with me!" "Can both not be possible at once? Do you not love Hiei and also want to rip his head from his shoulders with your bare hands at this very moment?" "I do *not* want to kill Hiei!" "That's not what you said last night. You were fully convinced last night that you wanted his blood on roses." "*You* convinced me, you bastard!" Houkama bent back his head and laughed once or twice, and when he returned his gaze to Kurama, red light spilled from his eyes like spotlights, making the entire clearing seem like a giant womb. Again, with his lighting-fast motions, he was at Kurama's side upon the ground. "Yes, I might have tricked you then, but I would not trick you now. I told you in your sleep that I had a good use for you, and I do. You don't know how important to me you are right now." "That's very nice but..." He was halted by Houkama's mouth pressing hungrily against his own. He tried to pull from the cold kiss, but Houkama's hands pushed the back of his head even deeper into it. His lips parted slightly, and Houkama forced his tongue within. The forked tongue revolted Kurama, and he began to gag, but as Houkama pushed it deeper within his mouth, an odd calm came over him, and his body relaxed. Houkama caught him before he hit the ground, lowering him slowly across his own lap, not breaking the connection of their lips. With one hand he held Kurama's head up, thus keeping the man's lips against his own. With the other hand, he slowly unbuttoned Kurama's dirty white shirt. Kurama stirred lightly. [Calm down.] *What are you doing? You are in my head again.* [Yes, I know. Now it is time for me to tell you...] He finished unbuttoning the shirt and he opened it. [That we are ment for one another. You are my other half. I have searched for you for all my life, and now I have found you.] He ran his free hand over Kurama's creamy chest, and he continued to kiss him. *What do you mean?* Slowly, Kurama felt his inhibitions fleeing him as though they were leaves on a swiftly moving river. *Do you speak the truth? It would really explain a lot. And..oh, that feels good.* Hukama ran his fingers over the powerful muscles of Kurama's abdomen. [I know. I would do anything for you. I love you, Kurama.] *You do?* [Yes. I love you like Hiei never did.] *Hiei...never really loved me?* [Exactly. I, though, love you will all of my being, and I want to be your slave forever. You love *me*, right?] His fingers trailed to Kurama's zipper. *Do I? I don't remember.* [Yes. You love me very much. You would kill for me.] *I would?* [Yes.] *I must really love you a lot.* [You do. You love me, therefore you *are* me.] *Okay.* Houkama undid the button at the top of Kurama's pants. [You hate Hiei, don't you? I hate Hiei very much for what he has done to you.] *If you hate Hiei, I hate Hiei. I love you, therefore I *am* you.* [Correct. Hiei is a bad man. Did you know that he is the one who caused your mother to get ill? He did not want you spending time with your family. He wanted her to die so that you would finally run off and join him as a full demon.] *Hiei did that!?* [Yes. He is a very bad man.] *Very bad. I hate him, too.* [He must pay, I think. He nearly killed your mother and he broke your heart. He tricked you and lied to you. He killed your soul! Yes...he must pay!] *He killed my soul!* [Yes.] His fingers toyed with the zipper pull. *I want to kill him!* [Why?] *He killed my soul! And also, he has caused you much grief, watching him harm me. I shall kill him for you, because he hurt you, too. And I love you, therefore I *am* you!* [Do you promise?] *YES!* [Well, then..] Houkama broke away from the kiss suddenly, his tongue making an evil sucking sound as it returned from the far depths of Kurama. "Why did you stop?" "Because, beautiful Kurama, I wanted to ensure that you will not go back on your promise." He brought forth the same index finger he had used to scratch Kurama earlier and placed that same claw against the skin directly about Kurama's heart. The claw penetrated easily and Kurama shrieked in agony as it pierced his heart. He slumped over, and blue light flooded from the wound. "You will go and carry out your promise: to kill Hiei the fire demon, your former lover, in the name of Houkama the Hunter." He drew his claw from Kurama's heart and the light died. Kurama lay on the ground unconscious but otherwise unharmed. Houkama stood and glared down upon Kurama, his eyes lacking all their love of earlier. "I would kill you myself, but you deserve worse punishment," and with this, he rose into the air and flew off into the night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Houkama, the last of the Hunters, stared down at the cold world below him. He had been born amongst a proud race of demons that were undoubtedly the most feared of all in their time. The ultimate bounty hunters, they sought after all those who they had hateful feelings towards and all those they sought out were killed or worse. But eventually, the humans they presided over revolted. Tired of being bossed around and slaughtered aimlessly and for entertainment, they hunted down the Hunters and killed them all but one, who had managed to escape into the woods. Houkama harbored a poison anger towards the human race throughout his growing years, but eventually realized that only one vengeful demon could not wipe out them all. So he turned his anger towards other demons. Those who turned their backs upon their brothers and joined the ranks of the humans. Traitors. Filthy, stupid, goddamn traitors. Now, 19 year old Houkama had grown fully into his Hunter powers and instincts. "Oh...Kurama, I could have loved you, really." He could not deny the attraction he felt for the red-headed man, and the pleasure he had felt while having him completely under his control. The memory of the bitter taste of Kurama's blood made his especially hard. "But DAMN YOU!" His hatred flared up again." I don't love you! I can't love you! You are nothing but a back-stabbing....UGH! Mapputatsuni hiki sakuwayo!(*)" With this, Houkama disappeared behind the clouds. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hiei sat with his elbows resting on his knees with his hands dangling between them. He was actually tired. He had been running all day, and still had found no traces of Kurama. "God, where did you go?" He said aloud. "I can't even find you with my jagan. His insides churned as he thought about what might happen if the Hunter reached Kurama before he did. "Why did you leave, anyway?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kurama awoke at the same place he remembered waking up just a little while ago. But now, he noticed, his shirt was unbuttoned and so was his fly. "Oh, yes!" He smiled to himself. "I am ment to kill Hiei today. That son of a bitch." He stood and brushed his clothing off. " I must kill him for Houkama, because I love him, therefore I *am* him." He began walking in what his instincts told him was the correct direction. He could almost *smell* Hiei.....and could almost feel his warm blood flowing over his hands... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hiei heard something..someone coming. He glanced up and saw a flash of bright red through the trees. "It can't be..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "There he is, The bad man. I get to kill him now. He killed my soul." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hiei leapt to his feet and ran faster than ever before. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Houkama smiled to himself from his hiding place , invisible just above Hiei's former resting spot. "He is running to his death. How inspiring." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Kurama!" Hiei wrapped his strong arms around the taller man's waist and buried his face in his chest. He breathed deeply and tried to control his urges to either kick him in the balls for leaving him or throw him to the ground and make love to him forever. "You came back!" He then noticed that his embrace was not being returned. He pulled back a little, and looked up into Kurama's eyes. "Something's wrong." He thought. "There is no life in his eyes at all. It's like..Kurama's not even there." "You are a bad man, Hiei-san." "What?!" "You killed my soul. I must now slay you in the name of Houkama, the Hunter." "The Hunter?" Icy fear spilled through his body. "Yes. I love him, therefore I *am* him." "You love him?" "Why would *you* care?" The words hurt. Hiei backed up, a look of despair on his face. "*I* love you..." "No you don't!" Kurama was yelling now. Hiei was frightened. Kurama had *never* yelled at him like this..and he knew that *Kurama* never would. He just hoped the real Kurama would somehow..."You just used me!" "No I didn't! I-" "Stop talking to me! I don't care to hear what you have to say in your own defense! I held that rose! Do you hear me? I held that rose! It told me that you have no love for me! The rose wouldn't lie to me! And Houkama would never lie to me! Not like you!" His hatred boiled over. His hand flew up and produced a rose from behind his ear..the whip unfurled and cracked through the air. "Kura-" Hiei fell to the ground, his throat slit, blood seeping from the wound and dripping from his mouth. "-Ma..." All of a sudden, it felt as though Kurama had woken from a very heavy and long sleep. The spark returned to his eyes. He looked down at his hands, and saw the blood-covered rose whip. He then saw the mangled body of Hiei laying bleeding on the ground before him. He choked on a gasp and fell to his knees alongside the fallen demon. He gently fingered the down- soft hair at the base of Hiei's neck, that was already matted with blood and gently lifted his head up. "K-Kurama?" Hiei sputtered, spitting up some more deep red blood. Kurama cradled Hiei's head in his lap and tore off his own shirt, frantically ripping it to shreds and then began pressing them against the wound, but even he knew that he couldn't stop the drainage of a severed jugular. He clutched Hiei to him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" He sobbed loudly and his body shook and trembled. Hiei coughed up another gob of blood and Kurama wiped it from his lips. "I love you, Hiei! Don't die! Please don't die! I don't want you to die! PLEASE!" "I - found you--" "Yes, you found me. Don't leave me, now, please. I love you." Hiei's pale hand writhed upon the ground, and Kurama grasped at it desperately, marveling, in all the confusion, at how the smaller man's hand was still swallowed in his own, as it had been since they had first met. Then Hiei's pained voice broke his train of thought. "He'll-" "Hiei? What?" "He'll kill you--too." "Oh, Hiei!" He gathered Hiei carefully in his arms and hugged him to his body fiercely. "Please don't die. Please don't die!" Hiei was silent. "Hiei?" Nothing. "Hiei!" He pulled Hiei back to look at him, and he found a pair of lifeless red eyes staring back at him. "HIEI!" He buried his face in Hiei's blood-soaked shirt and pressed his ear against Hiei's heart. There was no sound. He leaned back, and pressed his lips against Hiei's, accepting their stillness as the reality. He now had the taste of Hiei's death in his mouth. His blood. The taste of his guilt. Out of nowhere, Houkama appeared and stared down at the sobbing man and the bleeding corpse. "I hope you are happy, Kurama. You killed him, after all." Kurama was silent and avoided his gaze. Still clutching Hiei to him and rocking back and forth, staring off into space. "You made me do it!" Kurama choked. "I didn't want to!" "Yes you did! Remember the rose!" That same rose, the one that had caused him all this pain and started this, Hogosha's rose, appeared to his right. He lifted one trembling hand and grasped it, closing his tearful eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the thorns digging into the soft flesh of his palm. "That rose told you the truth, didn't it? I told you the truth as well. He didn't love you." "That dosen't..that dosen't matter! Not now! *I* loved *him*! That's the only thing that was important!" "Love cannot be one sided." "SHUT UP HOUKAMA! I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU ANYMORE! I-" He broke down into a fresh torrent of powerful sobs. "Why do you cry? You have done the world a great service. You should be happy, and accept this praise." Kurama sniffed and seemed to regain his composure. "I'm - going now." "Oh. Running away again? Where are you running to now?" "Wherever Hiei went must be where I'm going. After all..I loved him, therefore I *was* him." He grabbed the handle of Hiei's katana, which was still sheathed at his side, and pulled it free with a metallic ring. He stared grimly at his bloodstained reflection in the smooth blade. Still clutching Hiei with one arm, he held the katana backwards, pointed at himself and awkwardly positioned it just below his ribcage. His eyes flashed up and met with Houkama's. He thrust his body forward upon the blade, which flew a strait coarse and glided underneath his ribcage. He grimaced and slumped over on top of Hiei, their blood mingling, staining all the earth underneath them crimson red.  
  
~~~~~~The End  
  
Well, I'm done with that chapter. I'm sure you all want to kill me now, right? Trust me, I want to kill myself! But like I said...*temporary death!* I seriously could not stop crying while writing that death scene...I just hope it had that same affect on at least *one* of you out there. I would like to know whether or not my writing style effects anyone but myself. (*) - This is a little Japanese phrase I picked up..it means- "I'll tear you in half!!!"  
  
Next chapter: Hiei and Kurama meet up in the afterlife, on the bank of the Styx..where you are ment to wait for the boat so you can cross and enter the underworld. But, luckily for them..the boat is late. Hiei is a little pissed that Kurama just *killed him* and Kurama still wants to know why Hiei doesn't love him. Something very crucial happens that proves the truth to them once and for all...and then there is the small matter of escaping the underworld before the door shuts. And what happens to Houkama? Next time..on Petals Fallen, Blood on Roses!  
  
This chapter dedicated to Kelly, Becca, and Jaz (who hasn't even *read* this story yet! Grrr...) ~Hiei/Kurama yaoi rocks!~ 


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